[ Even as Cloud protests, Zack can hear some of the confusion and uncertainty in his voice. It's what he falls back on saying because he's convinced himself of a certain reality, but then Cloud's eyes go unfocused and while Zack can't be sure, he thinks it's finally clicking. A sense of deep, bottomless sorrow with a hint of understanding moves across their bond.

He doesn't speak, not wanting to make an incredibly difficult moment even worse in some way, but he does hold Cloud's hand the whole time. To some extent, he has to relive the moment through their bond just as much as Cloud has to remember it. Zack draws in a shaky breath, squeezes Cloud's hand that much harder; grounding both of them as best he can.

When Cloud finally speaks, Zack tilts his head up from where he'd been staring at the sheets — at nothing, really. Spotting that single tear, he reaches with his free hand to brush it away with the edge of his knuckles. He knows the skin on his hands is rough and hard, but he somehow doubts that Cloud will care. ]

I wasn't trying to keep it from you. I guess I just...

[ He shakes his head and exhales. ]

I thought you knew.

[ And if he'd had any inkling that maybe Cloud didn't know, he hadn't wanted to examine it too closely. ]

So this? [ Another squeeze of Cloud's hand, before he looks up and around them at the cozy cottage room. ] This place is... kind of all I have. Figure I gotta make the best of it, right?

[ Which is why he's so grateful that Cloud is here. And now Aerith, too. Even Sephiroth being here allows him a chance for closure he would have never otherwise found.

What happens back home? That's all up to Cloud now. Zack's entrusted him with that future. Maybe now he understands that. ]